Excaliber
by littlelis19
Summary: This has a little bit of Black Night/Ever After/A Knight's Tale. MWPP/other people. Sirius wants to be a knight. Remus is destined to be a knight. Lily's a princess. And James is confused to why he's in this time... and why he is a peasant.
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that is HP, all I own is Liza, my character, and maybe the plot, I'm not sure.  
  
Excaliber - Prolouge  
  
"Come on James, we're gonna be late for the game!" Sirius Black shouted at his best friend, who had just gotten up really late and was rummaging around for all his equipment.  
  
"I can't find my, uh, found it!" James said, while flinging things about their dorm, which was a disaster.  
  
James ran out with his broom in hand and Sirius and him raced down the empty corridors to the quidditch field. "You know, you could've woken me up earlier Padfoot." James panted as they reached the locker rooms.  
  
The locker room door flew open at that time and James' sister, Liza grabbed them both by their arms and pulled them in. "You late." She hissed at her brother.  
  
"Really?" He said sarcastically.  
  
"Hurry up." Said the captain of the Griffindor Quidditch team, and keeper, Jim Wood. James hastily put on his quidditch robes and lined up to wait to be called out onto the field.  
  
"Now, the Griffindor team with captain Wood, Potter, Potter, Black, Johnson, Peters, and Quin." Cheers followed them as they flew out onto the field as fifth year, Remus Lupin comentaried.  
  
"The Slytherin team, captain Hager, Malfoy, Snape, Kuger, Goodey, Knight, and Tang." Remus shouted, rather dully, followed by lots of 'Boo's' and 'You suck's'.  
  
James and Snape faced off and waited for the game to start. "Be prepared, Potter, I'll win this game, you watch." Snape sneered at him.  
  
"Not with all that grease in your hair, Snape, it would be impossible for you to ever catch the snitch." He said back.  
  
They glared at each other for two seconds before the whistle rang in their ears and James smirked one last time at him before taking off in the opposite direction. Liza and Sirius where beaters, so he wasn't really that bothered with having turned his back on the foul Slytherin, even though he would surely not play fair and make their team's beater send a blugder to his head.  
  
"Oh, nice hit there by Potter towards chaser Malfoy." James saw his sister hit one towards the slimy Slytherin blond. It barely missed him, he ducked it.  
  
"Peters has the quaffle, passes to Quin, back to Peters, over to Johnson, Johnson shoots, Johnson scores! Ten points to Gryffindor!"  
  
Cheers from Gryffindor section. "Goodey gets possession of the quaffle, passes to Knight, over to Malfoy, back to Goodey. The quaffle got intercepted in a pass to Knight by Quin. Watch out for that..." A blugder was hit at her and she almost got hit by it. It glazed her left elbow. She started to go faster. "She passes to Johnson, over to Peters."  
  
"Peters shoots, it's going... going... gone, score! Twenty-zip, Gryffindor!" More cheers erupted from Gryffindor stands. "Malfoy in possession, Black hit the bludger at his head." All silence as it hits and there's a lot of, 'Ouch's' from the crowd. The whistle blew as Madam Hooch went to chew Sirius out. James took this time to look for the snitch, without the confusion of the game.  
  
A whistle blew again. People started moving and Malfoy was taken to the hospital wing. They were a player down now, so they had taken Sirius out of the game too. Of which, cause many shouts of 'Un fair!"  
  
'Great,' James thought, 'we're a beater down.' He had to just rely on his sister, who was looking after everyone else on their team. He looked at his sister who was giving Sirius a look as he was escorted off the field and shaking her head. She glanced at her brother and gave him a sympathetic look.  
  
She took off to help keep their beaters off Johnson, who had the quaffle and he started to concentrate more on the snitch. It was a cloudy Saturday morning. Thunder could be heard not far off and a flash of lighting took him by surprise, that and the bludger that hit his left leg. He gave a startled cry and almost lost his balance. In retaliation for hitting her brother, Liza came in right behind him and hit one straight at Snape, who wasn't really expecting one to hit his shoulder and dislocate it.  
  
Needless to say, the game was getting messy. Both the seekers had broken and dangling limbs and Gryffindor was short a beater, while Slytherin was short a chaser.  
  
Madam Hooch was almost about to postpone the game and blew her whistle when another loud clap of thunder hit right over head and her whistle was drowned out. 'Watch out!' Came Liza's telepathic thought in the back of his head. He turned to see a speeding blugder before the pain that ripped through his back and a couple of screams could be heard in the stands as he started to fall.  
  
He didn't know how long he fell, he didn't even know when he hit the ground, all he knew was what he heard before passing out, "Oh my god, is he dead?!?" 'James, please wake up.' Then nothing.  
  
  
  
He woke up in... straw. Straw? He thought. 'Get up sleepy head.' He heard the familiar voice in his head.  
  
Liza, where am I? He thought.  
  
Liza, who was on the other side of what looked like the barn he was in, came over and handed him hiss glasses, which were not his, but fit his prescription perfectly.  
  
"Are you feeling alright?" She asked.  
  
"What are you wearing?" He said, noticing the odd attire she had on. It was a dress, it looked like an old dress, completely out of style. It looked like something people would wear in that muggle show, Little House on the Prairie, except more englandized and older.  
  
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Maybe I should call Dr. Mayfield, that fall you took yesterday most have jolted your mind." She said slowly. "Father told you not to take out old Beauty." She muttered while turning and walking out of the barn into the yard.  
  
What the hell? Was all he thought before Liza came back in holding some bread and a change of odd looking clothes. "Now, you will put on these clothes and get ready to go into town today cause father is taking us to sell all the produce." She said putting the clothes next to the straw.  
  
"What?" He asked uncertainly.  
  
"I know you hate doing that, but your going to have to considering mother is sick, and Danny and Kate are still too young so Uncle Gill needs to stay and watch them."  
  
"We don't have an Uncle Gill, and since when did we have siblings? And why am I in a barn?" He blurted out.  
  
Liza came to his side and felt his head. "What is up with you? Did you get what Mama has?" She muttered.  
  
"Listen, just put on these clothes and get ready cause we're leaving shortly." Then she left without another word and didn't even give him time to say something.  
  
He looked at the clothes. Urgh, he thought, completely out of fashion. Then, he realized he hadn't a clue where he was. Or when he was. All he knew was that he was there with someone who looked, acted, and claimed to be his sister.  
  
He got the foul old-fashioned clothes on and walked out of the barn, finally deciding he'd play along with the cards fate had dealt him, which is really twisted, he reminded himself.  
  
He walked up to a really old and run-down house that looked like it was built by unqualified builders. Or people with no building experience at all. He noticed Liza around the corner feeding... chickens. Liza, I need to talk to you. He sent telepathically to her. (They were twins and ever since they were born, they had this uncanny ability to read each other's thoughts.)  
  
'Shoot.' Came the reply.  
  
What year is it? He asked.  
  
'What?' He stayed silent, hoping she would answer. "What are you on about?" She said aloud walking over to him.  
  
"I don't have a clue where I am or how I got here." He explained with all sincerity.  
  
"James, I don't have time for this nonsense... and neither do you, so get your chores done before we go." She demanded and turned around.  
  
I'm not from this time. He thought. I have no clue what's going on, but you have to listen Liza, because I'm only going to explain this once, and it's your decision if you want to believe me. He concluded.  
  
"Fine." She muttered and motioned him to follow. They did their chores and James explained his entire life to her and when he got to the part of school, he left the magical part out of it, even though that was a very large part of his life, but as he soon found out, most people didn't really like magic in this time period.  
  
When he explained about his friends, she got very interested when he mentioned Remus's name. And she explained to him kind of, that he was friends with Sirius in this time period and Remus as well. Apparently, they live in town. She explained about the king and queen and their daughters and how James was to act around them, which was like a peasant, much to his own disgust.  
  
He found out that Sirius was the respected son of a blacksmith/inventor which surprised him a tad. And also that Remus was the son of a knight, which was apparently a highly respected position. Lucky bastards. He thought bitterly. He had to be a peasant. A peasant, lower then dirt. Well, not lower then dirty, maybe about the same as dirt... nevermind.  
  
They were riding into town, and his 'father', he found out, was a farmer and horse breeder. A man of respectable stature... in the country... and had a family of nice and healthy children. He knew practically everyone... in the fields. And in town. He also found out that he was as good at the guitar here as he was at home. So he brought that along just incase he got bored.  
  
  
  
It was about four in the afternoon when they got all the produce sold. His 'father' went off to 'mingle' and him and his sister were left to guard the cart. He took out his guitar and started working on a view new song notes. Liza was impressed. He guessed there wasn't very good music in the time he was in now. And what he was playing was kind of complex and modern.  
  
Unfortunately for him, the princess who was inharent to the thrown, came around and noticed his music, needless to say, she quite enjoyed it. He was gathering a little crowd, but he didn't notice cause he was humming along with the song with his eyes closed. Liza, who had been looking for something, came back and started to shoo people away.  
  
  
  
The princess got her attention, "Oh hello your majesty, I hadn't seen you." She said the princess.  
  
"Well... maybe you should pay more attention." She snapped at Liza. "I'll forgive you this time if you tell me who that is." She said motioning to James.  
  
"That's my brother, miss, James." She said, her head inclined to the ground, which was proper edicate, but really, she felt like punching her in the nose.  
  
"Oh... well, get his attention for me peasant." She said snottily. Liza had to make the inside of her mouth bleed with frustration, trying not to jump this so-called princess. She also had to repress a growl.  
  
Liza walked over to her brother and snapped her fingers in front of her face and James looked up and blushed when he saw the nicely-dressed and highly-respected princess (who wasn't very pretty). Who's she? He sent mentally to his sister  
  
'Princess Petunia Evans.'She thought back bitterly.  
  
  
  
*  
  
"Don't worry son, you'll do fine," a droned voice echoed through Remus's head. He wasn't paying attention. He didn't want to be a knight, that dream was Sirius's. He wanted to be a normal, middle-to-lower class person. He wanted to work for a living, not get payed for taking other people's money to give to the king. Or go and compete for the king's petty need for competition. That's just ridiculous. And the wars, he didn't want to go fight for some foreign country he didn't even know about, that was just plain pointless.  
  
Now was kind of like his 'initiation' into 'the force' they called it. It was more like 'the-little-group-of-pansies-that-are-nothing-but-big-bullies- that-steal-peasant's-money group of jerks'.  
  
Not that Sirius was like that, all he wanted to do was compete and get the pick of the most beautiful maidens in the courtyard. But Remus didn't want any of them. He figured the prettiest were probably among the lower-class, purebreds, he thought. Purebreds were kind of his word for like wild born people. People with free spirits. People that grew up naturally and weren't all prissy and wussy. He wanted a girl that had her own ideas.  
  
He was currently riding on his horse through town. He could see on the other side of town that there was obviously a commotion going on. "How about you try and go sort things out Remus, take it as your first assignment." His father said, nodding to the commotion. Remus rolled his eyes and started to ride over to them. He just didn't want to it. First assignment my ass. He thought bitterly.  
  
By the time he got there, there was a girl, being restrained by a boy and the girl was basically snarling at the princess.  
  
He got down off his horse and walked up to the people.  
  
"James," He nodded in his direction, all he got back was a smile.  
  
"Um... knight, you, tell her not to disrespect me anymore." Princess Petunia shrieked. Remus rolled his eyes.  
  
"And what exactly did she do wrong?" Remus asked the princess.  
  
"She told me I was worthless and didn't deserve my title." She said with her nose high looking triumphant.  
  
"She's right." Remus muttered so Princess Petunia couldn't hear. Everyone else heard though. Some people were sniggering and James, unnoticed by the princess was nodding vigourisly.  
  
"Here here!" Said a voice loudly from behind, alas Sirius stood behind them.  
  
Remus smiled at him and Petunia got really mad and stomped off.  
  
"Let me go..." Liza was dropped and she stumbled to the ground to regain her balance while James just laughed at her. She glared at him. 'Jerk'. He smirked at her and Sirius came and plunked him on the shoulder.  
  
"Hey James, long time no see!" He said smiling.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"We have a lot of chores to do since mom got sick." Interrupted Liza quickly.  
  
"What was that all about?" Remus asked talking about the deal with Liza and Princess Petunia.  
  
"Oh, she's a-..." She started.  
  
"A very conceited girl" James finished. She's royalty. He thought to her.  
  
Liza growled at him and he smirked at her.  
  
Sirius snorted at James' comment and Liza's antics. Remus was staring at Liza. She has spunk. He thought. And she's gorgeous. Remus sighed... Sirius was so lucky.  
  
  
  
*  
  
Sirius Looked around in amusement, the crowd was dispersing.  
  
"Hey, James, are you up to the clubhouse tonight?" Sirius asked. "Me Rem here are planning to sneak out early and come by." He smirked then went on. "And, of course borrow some horses..."  
  
James looked at Liza she nodded in consent, she probably knew what was up. "And we could invite your lovely sister." Sirius said while winking at her.  
  
"Not on your life Black." She said. "Besides, you're the only reason I'd go," she said, nodding in Remus's direction. She walked off to find her father grinning.  
  
Remus watched her go smirking oddly.  
  
"Only because you're a bloody knight." Sirius muttered.  
  
"Naw, I don't think that's it, she doesn't seem to have any respect for royalty." James said watching his sister's retreating back.  
  
"That's obvious..." Remus said.  
  
"So what about it? Are you comin?" Sirius said looking at James.  
  
James nodded... he didn't know where this place was, or what significence it held, but it must be special... 


	2. Chapter 1

James sat around a small dinner table with Liza and supposedly his 'father'. His 'mother', who he had yet to see, was still sick. There were two unfimilar children staring at, almost expectantly. He smiled at them. They smirked back. He got a little scared at that, they looked... well... they looked evil. And then there was Uncle Gill, who looked too young to be his uncle.  
  
'James, that's Danny and Kate, they are evil.' Liza explained in his head. ' Like us, except younger. Danny is older then Kate by a year. And they are always get into trouble. Oh... and you're their mentor.' She finished. Liza smiled across the table at him.  
  
"So, I heard you told the Princess off today, sweety." 'Father' asked.  
  
"She had it coming, speaking to me like she's above me!"  
  
"She is above you." Her father said carefully.  
  
"I think we're all equal, and plus, I'm way prettier then her." Liza said, she was half joking, even though it was true.  
  
"She's royal, and if you don't respect her, she can have you shipped off to god-knows-where." Her father said, then turned back to his corn. Liza sighed, she would rather be shipped off then to serve under Princess Ugly.  
  
"I think her sister would be a much better Queen then she'd ever be." Liza said sitting back.  
  
James looked up, that was the first time he had heard anything or Princess Lily. He knew her because she was his fellow prefect at Hogwarts. She was really nice...  
  
"You haven't even seen Princess Lily, how do you know there is one?" Danny exclaimed across the table to Liza.  
  
"I've heard of her greatness, and I even met her when I was little."  
  
"How little?" Danny pressed.  
  
"Little little." She said, then quickly and quietly finished and got up. "If you'll all excuse me, I am gonna go to bed." She got up and left. 'I'm coming with you tonight'. She thought to James.  
  
James, not really knowing how to act around these people, left right after her. He went back to the barn, where it looked like she was heading to. Liza was by one of the horses getting it ready.  
  
"What is the club house?" James asked her.  
  
"Oh... it's just a tree house... you all built it when you were younger." She smiled at him. "Hope your not afraid of heights."  
  
"Oh I assure you I'm not."  
  
"Good."  
  
"What time are they gonna get here around?" He asked.  
  
"Oh, probably round seven. You might want to get your riding clothes on."  
  
"Riding clothes?"  
  
"Over there." Liza pointed to an old dresser by the door. On top there were more old-fashioned yet kind of comfortable clothes.  
  
After he changed, he sat with Liza discussing more of this odd-style life until there was a weird clunk outside the barn door.  
  
"What was that?" Liza asked getting up.  
  
"Is it Remus and Sirius?" James asked following her.  
  
"No," She stuck her head out the door. "Hey! Hey! What are you doing!?!" Then she took off after something.  
  
James followed right behind her. They had been running for quite a long time, the intruder never slowing and Liza and James following close behind him. James could tell they were in a forest. There were trees and moss all around and he was always tripping over tree roots.  
  
Finally, they had stopped, come to a clearing. But they weren't alone, all around, people jumped out from trees and confronted the three, soon two. The intruder had led them into a trap.  
  
"Gypsies." Liza spoke miserably. Everyone around them were smirking and they all had swords or knives...  
  
*  
  
"Come on Sirius!" Remus whispered outside Sirius's window.  
  
"Coming." There was a small bang and then a crash. "Oops."  
  
Sirius jumped the three feet from his bedroom window. "I hope Dad didn't like that portrait." He said. "Let's go."  
  
"Took you long enough." Remus whispered.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
They were both going on foot because Remus didn't want to explain to his father why there was to horses missing from the Knight's kennel and even worse, that a inventors son was riding one.  
  
Cause, you see, Remus and Sirius's father never got along very good. Remus's father thought Sirius's father was trying to defy every law of science and that it was a crime and he should be put in jail. And Sirius' father thought Remus's father was rude, a bully, and an idiot. That didn't really stop them from being friends.  
  
They were almost to the house, talking in whispers the whole way. When they got there, they peeked in the barn, where they said they'd meet, but no one was there. But there were a few candles on and the door was wide open.  
  
"Looks like they left in a hurry." Sirius whispered.  
  
"Let's try and follow them..." Sirius said trying to do what any brave knight would do... but he wasn't really a knight. He didn't even have the proper training, where as Remus was forced to even though he didn't want to.  
  
"It's pitch black out here, stupid." Remus hissed. "We can't see anything."  
  
"Then let's take some horses out and split up..." Sirius suggested.  
  
"That's actually a good idea."  
  
So, they got two horses from the barn, the two Liza already got ready, and started out.  
  
"Maybe we should stay together." Remus suggested.  
  
"Why, are you afraid of the dark?"  
  
"No, I just think it would be a good idea if we don't go off in separate directions and get ourselves lost."  
  
"I thought Knights were sposed to know this part of the forest like the back of their hand."  
  
"Well... I didn't really pay any attention during that part of training." Remus said, he was actually blushing cause he was ashamed of his title and also the fact that he didn't know what to do as a 'knight'.  
  
Sirius shook his head. "Maybe your right." He said with a sigh.  
  
And they rode on. Soon, they heard some fighting going on, clinking of swords and such and heard some shouts.  
  
They rode into a clearing, well... it wasn't very clear at the moment... "Gypsies." Remus groaned.  
  
He saw that Liza was being held captive by a guy had a silver knife to her throat. She was screaming at him and thrashing, trying to avoid the knife while James was sword fighting... wait, James doesn't know how to sword fight.  
  
He was sword fighting... his form wasn't half bad. After a yelp from Sirius, he was right in helping James, so Remus went and tried to help Liza. Of course, Remus had weapons. A sword and a small knife, just in case.  
  
"Let her go." He said, trying not to sound to pompous and brave, while Sirius screamed his head off... bravely. Liza elbowed the gypsie in the stomach and turned to him while he was doubled over. Remus came to stand by her.  
  
"Need any help?"  
  
"Need this," she said, grabbing the sword in his belt. She was smiling as the gypsie pulled out his sword.  
  
"So yer gonna try and fight me, are ya?" He said nastily.  
  
"No one holds a knife to my throat and gets away with it." She said smoothly.  
  
"Fiery little thing aren't ya?"  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
And so he started, he tried to attack so Liza moved. She is really fast. Remus thought as he watched this. He decided he just couldn't stand there so he went over and helped Sirius and James cause Sirius had screwed up James's groove and was now being cornered by some very annoyed gypsies.  
  
Remus hit one of them in the head and stole his sword and stood by James, whow as protecting Sirius. "What about me?" He whined.  
  
"You just stand back, and don't hurt yourself." Remus said.  
  
"Bloody knights." Sirius muttered.  
  
Clinks of swords could be heard as they fought the gypsies, of course, they didn't know what was gonna happen since they couldn't get away. And the horses were by the trees near the stump twenty feet away from them. And some other gypsies were sneaking up behind them.  
  
*  
  
Liza had gotten the gypsie up against the tree and was threatning him wi th a sword. Lucky for her, he happened to be the unofficial leader of the gypsies.  
  
"Call them off." She ordered.  
  
"Why should I? You came into our domain." He said despite the silver blade that was threatning to puncture his stomach.  
  
"Call them off now!" She order, putting slight pressure on the hilt of the sword.  
  
"Stop." He said weakly as the blade almost punctured his skin.  
  
"Louder." Liza hissed at him.  
  
"Stop." He said louder, barely getting the attention of the people cornering her brother, Sirius, and Remus.  
  
Everyone turned to him. The gypsies saw he had a sword to his stomach and started towards her.  
  
"Don't move, or he dies." She threatened. They stopped and the boys looked at her surprised. "Now, we're leaving. Your not gonna follow us. And we're taking our horses back." She nodded to the restrained horses that were bucking and trying to get away from their captures.  
  
Remus walked over to the horses and harshly grabbed them while scowling at the gypsies who held them.  
  
"Bye." Liza said shortly and they all took off running.  
  
"That was close." Sirius said panting as they reached their clubhouse that was at least a mile and a half away and Sirius looked about to pass out.  
  
"Wouldn't have been that close if you hadn't come in screaming like an idiot." James said.  
  
"Got their attention off you didn't it?" He said.  
  
"Shut up you two. Let's go." Liza said, she started climbing to the top of the tree, there was no latter or anything. The clubhouse was a tree house, and it was really high in a tree. The tree looked easy enough to climb, if you know where to step, and James didn't, but was that gonna stop him? Probably not. 


	3. Chapter 2

James gulped. Remus motioned for him to go before him. He put one hand on a crevice in the tree. He gulped again, it was a large tree, he observed.  
  
"James, hurry up." Remus said impatiently at the bottom. He was looking around him. He was in a forest, and one thing he didn't like, it was snakes. He shivered and screamed up at James again, "What are you waiting for? Christmas?"  
  
"Shut up." James muttered as he tried to find another foothold. James shuttered as a cold breeze hit his face. And he shivered.  
  
Sirius had already gone up after Liza had. "Is Jamesie getting cold feet?" Sirius yelled down from somewhere in the middle of the tree.  
  
"Yes." James yelled up. "How the hell did we build this thing up here again?"  
  
"I ask myself that every time we come here." Remus muttered from the ground, three steps bellow James.  
  
"Ummm... you guys, I'm not feeling very well." James said, his voice quivering.  
  
"Oh come on James, that never stopped you before." Remus tried to say reasuringly. James inwardly groaned. The Remus he knew wasn't this persistent.  
  
James swallowed the lump in his throat and moved forward, shaking slightly, trying to find another hold, and trying not thinking of his death by falling out of the tree and landing on the hard ground bellow. He thought about it again. It was replaying in his mind. Splat. He shivered again.  
  
Wondering why he was so all of a sudden afraid of heights, he moved forward, little at a time and Remus followed.  
  
They were about half way when James started to get real dizzy. He reached out for the next hold, but he couldn't find one. Sirius, at the top, was making faces down at him and Remus was starting to get worried. Liza was at the top trying to send telepathic messages to him, but his nerves had shut all his mind down and the only thing going through it was, splat, splat, splat. He shook his head harder. But that only made him more dizzy.  
  
"Oh shit." He muttered as his foot started slipping. He was at least thirty feet up in the air. Remus was under him, noticed the slip and cursed. This was not a good sign, James was starting to get unstable.  
  
"Oh guys, he's not holding up. I think he's going to puke." Remus yelled up the tree trying to move if James fell.  
  
"I'm not going to..." James started before nausea took over and his head immediately landed against the tree as he took a deep breath.  
  
"Oh my god, James, maybe you should head down!" Liza yelled.  
  
"Maybe your right." James muttered sarcastically.  
  
"I'm coming back down." Liza said.  
  
"So am I." Sirius started to go down again but Liza stopped him.  
  
"Me first."  
  
"Does it matter who goes first?"  
  
"Yes it does when some one won't stop staring at your butt the whole entire way up." She said.  
  
Sirius shrugged and said, "Hey, when ya get it, ya get it." Liza smacked him and started down. Muttering 'Pervert' while doing so.  
  
Meanwhile, James wasn't so good. He started to go in a daze and he was letting go of his hold on the tree. "James! James." Remus was shaking his pant leg trying to get him snap out of it.  
  
"Oh... oh..." James, still sort of conscious, was trying to regain his composure. But all that was running through his mind was, 'splat, splat, splat.'  
  
Then, he slipped Remus behind him. He hit Remus, as Remus lost his balance and they came tumbling down to the bottom. James landed on the bottom with a 'thump' and not a 'splat', thankfully. But Remus landed on James's left. Neither moved.  
  
Liza, being as quick as she could, jumped the last ten feet to the ground and knelt by the fallen peoples.  
  
"Ow." James muttered. He felt like all his bones had been broken. And, he had landed on a small rock that was jammed in his shoulder.  
  
"James, you could have killed your self." Liza muttered from his side. It hurt to bad to move his head so he just groaned in return. "You could have killed Remus!" Liza said worriedly.  
  
Remus groaned. Sirius stepped off the tree with a soft thump. "Are you guys ok?" He asked.  
  
Remus and James both groaned in unison and Sirius kind of smiled.  
  
"That was awesome you guys... it was like slow motion." Sirius moved as Liza aimed a rock at his head.  
  
"Water." James rasped out.  
  
"What? Water, Sirius, go get water." Liza said trying to make them more comfortable on the ground.  
  
"Yes sir." He said and went to go get the water from a nearby stream.  
  
"Does that feel better?" Liza cooed at Remus as she tried sitting him up. Remus just grunted.  
  
And James whined at her. " Liza, what about me?"  
  
Sirius soon came back with the water and handed it to Liza. "Sirius, why didn't you use a goblet?" Liza asked as the water slipped through her fingers.  
  
"You were being vague." He smiled triumphantly.  
  
"Sirius." James whined. "Water."  
  
"Ok, ok." He said, then reached in a fold in the tree and grabbed a cup from a secret hiding place that was.... well... secret. He took off to the stream.  
  
"Ow." James said again while Liza tried to move his hand.  
  
"Oh, your just a little sore." Liza said.  
  
"Yes, so be careful." James said.  
  
  
  
Somehow, they got out of the forest and into town. James and Remus were rushed to the doctor's house and layed down in a nice comfy bed and given a little special medicine, one that James was skeptical of at first. And he fell asleep.  
  
When he woke up, he thought he was back in his dorm room. Or in the hospital wing, but he wasn't and it took him a couple of seconds to remember where he was.  
  
He groaned. A lady came by with a bucket of water. "Oh, how are you feeling dear?" He groaned in response. "I'm afraid your friend hasn't woken up yet." She said. James opened his eyes.  
  
Light flooded into them and he shut them quickly. He opened them again and looked around. He was in a small room, it looked like a guestroom of some sort. There was a bed next to him and sitting in it was Remus, and he was glaring at James.  
  
"Hello." James said uneasily.  
  
Remus grunted. "Do you know what happened?" He said, almost sarcastically.  
  
"I slipped." James said curiously staring at him.  
  
"And then?" Remus persisted.  
  
"Didn't I fall on you?" James said, then got a guilty face, "Sorry." He murmered.  
  
"'Sorry' isn't gonna save me when I have to go into the tournement next week and get myself murdered." He said hotly.  
  
"Oh, that was next week? I'm so sorry Remus." James said, concerned now.  
  
"Not to mention, I could hardly ever get on horse anyway, I'm sore all over." He was pouting now.  
  
"I've got an idea! Let Sirius take your place!" James said and Remus gave him a look. "All he needs is a little training... and I'm sure he'd love to do it."  
  
"It doesn't matter, he's at least a good few inches taller then me, it would never work." Remus said, defeated.  
  
"So?" James said.  
  
"He could get himself killed, then we'd both be presumed dead."  
  
"At least you have an option." James said. "I am sorry."  
  
That was the end of their conversation, James just turned and looked out the window. It was about just over dawn. Most of the town was asleep. People were passing by with carts and people were taking walks around. James sighed, he was getting really home sick.  
  
Something on the other end of the street caught his eye. It happened to be a girl, not just any girl, it was royalty. James was sure of it, nobody had red hair like that. It was Lily.  
  
The only problem was, she was walking with some one. Not that James was jealous, but the person she was walking by was someone he didn't expect to see, let alone want to see.  
  
It was Snape.  
  
"Remus, whose that Princess Lily is walking beside?" He asked pointing to them. He knew who he was, but didn't know his statis.  
  
Remus got up with a groan and walked to the window to peer out. He gasped. "I think that's the prince of Spain," he said.  
  
James groaned and his head hit the window. Snape got to be a PRINCE?!? Not right.  
  
"What's the king thinking?" Remus muttered to himself. "He knows better then to makes deals with Spain."  
  
"Why?" James asked.  
  
"They've had some sneaky business treaties." Remus explained. "They've also been trying to expand their territory." Remus went on. "Now, I think their countries at war, probably wanting to get England involved."He sighed.  
  
By that time, the Princess and the prince had walked almost to their window, a couple of guards around them.  
  
They could hear their conversation a little now.  
  
"I think it's wonderful that father decided to join our countries." Said Snape said silkily.  
  
Lily looked as if she wanted to run away, her green eyes searching for some escape.  
  
"I can't wait till the ball, where we're going to announce the engagement." Snape went on.  
  
James saw Lily shudder violently. Snape hadn't noticed. They stopped near the window.James was a little angry cause at school, Snape was always picking on Lily, calling her mudblood and bullying her.  
  
"Engagement?" Remus muttered from beside him.  
  
Lily was still looking for some kind of escape. As if expecting someone to come and help. That help came, unexpectedly, but it came. A figure, riding a horse. With long black, slightly curled hair, whom can only be identified as James's sister.  
  
She saw the princess and prince and figured out the dilemma in her head. She hopped off the horse and almost skipped over to them, the guards seeing no threat of course, she didn't look the part of a commoner. In fact, she had what looked like a courtier's dress on. Her hair was undone, but it still looked elegant.  
  
She smiled knowingly. "Hello princess, how are you?" She asked sweatly and trying to get lily to take the hint without Snape seeing.  
  
"Erm... Fine." Lily said, taking the hint.  
  
"That's great, I've heard about the engagement." She said. James had just told her secretly.  
  
"Where'd you hear that?"Snape said narrowing his eyes at her.  
  
"I have my ways." She responded icily.  
  
"What's she up to?" Remus whispered.  
  
James shrugged.  
  
"I hope I'm invited to the ball?" She said turning to Lily.  
  
"Of course." Lily said, of course, it was for saving her, kind of. She gave Liza a half-smile and mouthed, 'Thank you.'  
  
A chime of a bell somewhere was sounded and Lily gave Liza a final nod before walking off with Snape at her side.  
  
Liza grinned and turned to the healing house to see how James and Remus were. 


	4. Chapter 3

"Hey!" She exclaimed as she came in.  
  
"Hey." They said, without the enthusiasm though.  
  
"What was that all about?" James said, motioning to the open window.  
  
"Oh, well, it was a free ticket into the ball, and I figured I always wanted to go to one..."  
  
"Your going with who?" James asked.  
  
"Oh, well, I figure you can escort me in, and then I can dance with whoever I want." Liza said, winking at Remus.  
  
"I can escort you in? What does that mean?" James asked.  
  
"Yeah, only wealthy people get in, and he's not very well-known, except for the people that see him around town." Remus said. "Your allowed in, only cause you black-mailed the Princess."  
  
"Hey, hey, that wasn't black-mail you git. It was payback." Liza said.  
  
"Payback for what?"  
  
"Who's her sister?" Liza sighed.  
  
"Oh... your going to show up Princess Petunia."  
  
"She doesn't deserve to be called a princess." Liza snapped. "From now on, I'll refer to her as.... Pet. Cause all she's going to do throughout the ball is follow me around." Liza smirked.  
  
"What does this have to do with me as an escort?" James asked again.  
  
"I'm not going to walk in alone." Liza said.  
  
"Walk in with Remus!" James exclaimed.  
  
"That would cause to many questions."  
  
"Why?" James asked.  
  
"Cause they've seen us around. I need to go unnoticed." Liza explained. "They know me as a peasant. I wouldn't be allowed in, even if the Princess said I could go. So we are going as a foreign country's royalty."  
  
"Wouldn't they behead you if they found out?" Remus asked.  
  
"If they found out." Liza pointed out.  
  
"Someone would recognize us." James said. "I do not feel like having my head chopped off, thanks."  
  
"Oh, come on, we are the masters of disguise!" Liza exclaimed.  
  
"What? Where did that come from? I can't even get my hair to stay. We don't have the clothes. AND... we don't have any transportation that's not peasant-like... it's hopeless." James said, defeated. "As much as I want to go and save Lily from Snape...." He trailed off, and quickly turned to look at Remus, who was giving them a skeptical look.  
  
"Oh, we're on a first-name bases with the Princess are we?" Liza said, smiling. 'You knew her in your other life?' She asked in his head.  
  
"I could have just sworn you asked me who the prince of Spain was... And now you know his name?" Remus said with his eyebrows raised.  
  
"Erm... I just remembered." 'Yes... we were... are... friends.'  
  
'And Snape?'  
  
'Is my enemy.' Liza raised her eyebrows at this.  
  
"Is there something you guys ain't telling me?" Remus asked.  
  
"It's settled then." Liza said. "We're going!"  
  
"What?!?" James and Remus exclaimed at the same time, but Liza was already out the door.  
  
  
  
A couple of hours later, Remus had been limping around town, trying to find Sirius to tell him to take his place. James had been shoved off with Liza, also limping, to take a few 'how-to-be-a-prince' lessens and find high- class clothes, along with some kind of carriage.  
  
Lily, had been wondering how she was going to get out of being with the slime ball. Lily counted off her fingers, yet again, the reasons why she didn't want to marry him and become the queen of Spain.  
  
'He's rude, slimy, arrogant, pale, conceited...' She could go on, but there was a knock at the door. "Come in." She said. Her maid stepped into the room.  
  
"Hello miss. Would you like me to set up a bath?"  
  
"Yes!" Lily said. "I... I mean... yes, that would be lovely, Sophie. Thank you." Sophie bowed and left.  
  
  
  
"When's the ball?" James whined as he strutted around a room like a prince, also trying to dance with Liza trying to teach him.  
  
"Next week."  
  
"Before or after Remus's tournament?" James asked.  
  
"Before. Two days before." Liza said, while she started to laugh at him.  
  
"What country are we royalty to?" James asked as he strutted toward Liza.  
  
"Er.... how 'bout we make up one?"  
  
"You haven't thought about this?' James asked.  
  
"I have... I have..." Liza said... "I figured we could adorn an Australian accent and go as some South African country."  
  
"We don't look South African!" James said.  
  
"Then, genius, think of something!" Liza exclaimed.  
  
"Well... I'd say Spain because we have ancestors there... but that's out of the question... We have ancestors from India!" He exclaimed. "Not very many... but some and they're distant. Very distant." He sighed.  
  
"India! That's great!" Liza exclaimed.  
  
"We don't know their ways, I was just kidding!" James said.  
  
"No, we could talk to the gypsies, they've been there!"  
  
"The gypsies tried to kill us!"  
  
"Oh, they're just misunderstood! Come on!"  
  
James groaned as he was dragged to the gypsies.  
  
  
  
"Sirius!" Remus called, banding on his door.  
  
Sirius opened it and smiled. "Your alive!" He exclaimed and hugged Remus.  
  
"Get off... ow!" He said as his sore muscles hurt from the weight of Sirius.  
  
"What's up?" He asked smiling as he ushered Remus into the house he and his father shared.  
  
Sirius's father was an inventor. There was a whole bunch of funny contraptions around his house. Sirius sat down at his kitchen table and stared as Remus pondered all the weird contraptions.  
  
"Um... I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"Will you take my place in the tournament?" Remus asked. He turned to look at Sirius.  
  
Sirius was staring at him with his mouth hanging open. "What?"  
  
"Sirius, I know it's asking a lot. Me and James can train you up..."  
  
"Of course I would, but why me?" Sirius asked. " Why can't you do it?"  
  
"That fall yesterday... it dislocated my left arm..." Remus said as he lifted his left arm, with was in a sling.  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"Please don't screw this up...."  
  
"No trust." Sirius said, shaking his head.  
  
"And another thing... I can't let my father know I'm hurt..." He said.  
  
"Oh, my dad might know what could help." He got up and Remus followed him into a room.  
  
"Dad?" Sirius went into what looked like a study room, but he knocked on a book case and the bookcase opened. It was a door, opened by the inside apparently.  
  
"There you are Sirius! Hold this." Sirius's father came by, He was a normal- sized man. His and Sirius were the same height. He had a full head of black hair that was slightly gray. He had a few laugh lines and a generally happy expression all around. He handed Sirius something that looked like a boat.  
  
"What's this?" Sirius asked, looking at the boat thing.  
  
"It's just a model." Mr. Black said as he walked by again, he seemed a little busy. "Hullo Remus!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Hullo sir."  
  
"What can I do for you?" He said smiling.  
  
"Um... dad, Remus needs something to hide his dislocated arm." He said, motioning to Remus' arm.  
  
"I see." He came over to look at it. "Your lucky I was forced to learn medical." He muttered as he surveyed the arm. "I have just the thing!" He exclaimed and ran to a closet.  
  
He came out with a material in his hands. "This is a new fabric. It looks like a simple undershirt, but it's not. Don't be decieved at the state of it. It's much more stronger then it looks."  
  
He had a small, white piece of fabric with him. It looked like a bed sheet and looked as if it was see-through almost.  
  
"Give me your arm." He said. Remus handed him his arm and Mr. Black rebandaged it.  
  
"Wow, it doesn't even hurt!" Remus exclaimed as Sirius walked him to James and Liza's so they could start Sirius's training. 


	5. Chapter 4

"Hey, I know you." Said the drunk 'gypsy leader'. "Weren't you hear yesterday, sometime?"  
  
"Erm... hi." Liza said. "Yeah we were here yesterday, and we have a favor to ask you."  
  
"What do we get?" The gypsie asked greedily, clutching a flask of alcohol. He motioned to the group of gypsies how were lazying around a fire and talking amongst themselves.  
  
"Well... my father breeds horses and if you help us, and not try to kill or harm us, you may keep one." Said Liza.  
  
"Err... Well... I like your spunk so... what's your request?" He said.  
  
From his spot, James could see the passive look on the gypsie's face.  
  
"Have you been to India?" Liza asked.  
  
The gypsie smiled.  
  
  
  
"Put the sword down before you hurt me!" Exclaimed Remus as he barely avoided Sirius's wild swinging movements. They were in James and Liza's barn... practicing. Practicing wasn't the word... Sirius needed a lot more help and training to begin to practice.  
  
"Sirius! Your form sucks!" Remus said.  
  
"Gee... thanks." Sirius said sarcastically.  
  
"Your welcome." Remus said taking the sword from his hands. "Like this." Remus said, he then tried to do the blocking technique. His arm was starting to hurt again so he dropped the sword. "Ouch."  
  
Sirius frowned and bent down to pick up the fallen sword. "Maybe we should wait till James and Liza get back." Sirius said. Remus nodded. "Ok."  
  
  
  
"Yes, that's where we just came from." Said the gypsie as he walked the two to one of the camp fires. "Sit.... What would you like to know?" He asked, looking them over.  
  
"We are going to a ball... for the announcement of the joining if England and Spain." Liza started to explain. "And only royalty are allowed so we need a false.... identity."  
  
"I see."  
  
"The only thing we could think of is India, some ancestors of ours are from there." James said.  
  
"India, you must understand, is a very secluded country." Said the gypsie.  
  
"We know. That's why we need some... inside information about them."James said quickly.  
  
"I see... so you're going to try and fool the parliment into thinking you're a prince and princess of India?" They nodded. "Very well... I will teach you the ways of the India People.. the government... the dance." He then raised his eyebrows at Liza.  
  
"Hey, what are you implying?!?"Said James, standing up.  
  
"Nothing." Said the gypsie slyly.  
  
James sat back down because the other gypsies were coming around because of his brakeout.  
  
Liza was glowering at the 'head gypsie'. "I won't need to know 'the dance', thanks. He's the one who needs help." She jerked her head towards James.  
  
"To bad." Muttered the gypsie.  
  
"Pervert." Muttered Liza.  
  
  
  
"Get away from my BATHTUB!" Lily screeched at the maid person, who was bugging the hell out of her.  
  
"Miss..."  
  
"NO!" Lily screamed. "Go away!"  
  
"But miss."  
  
"Do you want me to get out os this tub?" Lily sighed as the maid left the room disgruntled.  
  
She sat in the tub with her long red hair pulled up onto the top of her head. She was trying to relax. The bubbles were relaxing. The maid just wouldn't leave her alone for one second. Lily was positive the maid was to watch her every move. Sent by the prince of Spain, of course. That arse. Snape was taking no chances of letting her escape, obviously.  
  
"How am I going to get out of this?" She whined to herself.  
  
  
  
"What's his name?" Princess Petunia asked her mother. "Peter." Her mother, queen of England, replied curtly. "Peter Petigrew." (* wondering where he he would come in, huh?*)  
  
"What royal structure is he and why do you think he's qualified enough to rule England alongside me?" Petunia said with her nose in the air.  
  
"He's the second in line to the inheritence of France, if we were to join forces, along with Spain... could you imagine how large the trade industry would get?"  
  
"Amazingly huge." Muttered Petunia. "And if something would happen to his brother, prince-soon-to-be-king of France?" Ask Petunia, looking at her mother briefly.  
  
"You shouldn't think about such things dear."  
  
"Lily goes off to Spain and I'm stuck here with the prince of France? He's a bit too young isn't he?" Petunia asked thoughtfully.  
  
"Only three years younger dear."  
  
"Then, why are you bringing this up now?" She said hotly. "He's bloody sixteen!" "We need to plan this ahead of time." Said the queen. "And your sister and Severus are only sixteen."  
  
"That's different! The standards in Spain are different." Petunia sighed. "When do I get to meet the future king of England?"  
  
"He'll be at the ball dear."  
  
"And who all are we having at this extravagansa?" Petunia asked, uninterestedly.  
  
"Oh, everyone dear. Artists, foreing representitives, foreign royalties, it's also the beginning of the knight's ball." Said the queen proudly.  
  
"So I take it, it's probably the biggest deal ever?" Asked Petunia.  
  
"Most definitely."  
  
  
  
"I'm not eating that!" James said, after a bit of on-hand experience, James decided that he never wanted to even go to India.  
  
"You'll be insulting Zelda, our Indian cook!" Exclaimed the still drunk gypsie.  
  
"She'll be upset? I don't care, what if I die?!" Exclaimed James, disgruntled. The gypsie rolled his eyes.  
  
"This is what the people in India eat!" He said. "You're the one who wants to learn their ways!"  
  
James looked down at the mess of... stuff... on his plate. He took a glance at Liza. She was poking her food.  
  
"What is it?" She asked. The cook, Zelda came out and cracked a grin at them.  
  
"That there is a special dish me family makes." She said, interesting... she had a very heavy Irish accent.  
  
"She's not from India!" Exclaimed Liza. "She's Irish! What gives?"  
  
"Well... erm... well... we've never really been to India." Muttered the gypsie sheepishly.  
  
"WHAT!?!" Liza yelled.  
  
"Have you been leading us on?" James got to his feet again, as did Liza.  
  
"Well... I don't think the parliament would ask that much about your country anyway, all you really need to do is look loyal!" Said the gypsie defensively. "Listen, be here tomowrrow, and we'll help you look more like royalty, we've got the clothes." He added quickly.  
  
"I can't believe we believed them in the first place. And I can can't believe I almost ate that..." James said disgustedly as they walked back to their house.  
  
"We'll get him back James, don't you worry." Liza reassured him.  
  
They got to the house and met with Remus and Sirius. They started to disgust what Sirius was going to do to not get killed.  
  
After a while, they had Sirius doing things almost at an intermediate level.  
  
This went on for the next week... James and Liza had their revenge, Sirius went pro, and Remus was still hurt... The night of the ball was tonight and it was early, early in the morning.  
  
"JAMES! Get up! We have to meet the gypsies today!" Liza shouted at James in the barn at dawn the day of the ball.  
  
"I'm up." He mumbled.  
  
Liza grabbed him by the shirt so he was standing up, taking James by surprise. As he marveled at her strength, she threw him clothes and walked out the door. James hurriedly got dressed and followed.  
  
They rode horses into their meeting spot that morning. The 'head gypsie' was there as scheduled.  
  
"Finally!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Shut up." Mumbled James.  
  
Now, was time for the preparation of the ball... 


	6. Chapter 5

"Wear this!" exclaimed the gypsie tossing them some clothes which were lined with expensive jewels and ornate looking amulets that went with them.  
  
"Where'd you get these?" Exclaimed Liza unbelievingly.  
  
"Around," replied the gypsie with a shrug.  
  
"This is illegal." James kept chanting. "What have I gotten myself into? We could be caught!"  
  
"Don't back out on me!" Liza scolded. She added, "Hey! My dress doesn't have fabric over the stomach area!"  
  
The gypsie shrugged, "It's what they wear."  
  
"What the dancers and slaves wear, pervert!"  
  
"It looks India-like enough, it should pass! And plus... they wouldn't even suspect you wearing that." He smirked.  
  
James added, "It looks better then what I have to wear! I'll look like someone out of Aladin!" Liza looked at him puzzled. He shrugged. "Anyway, I'm not wearing this."  
  
"I need more of a cover up!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Fine! Screw the India idea!" James said, throwing the clothes in the dirt.  
  
"It's the day of the ball!" She shouted in disbelief.  
  
"I. Give. Up!" He said, pronouncing each word.  
  
"NO! Please, You know as much as I do I've always wanted to go a royal ball!"  
  
"No, no! I have only known you for a week, I have no recolition of who, or what you are, I know this is just some bizarre dream!" James began to walk away.  
  
"Ok! Ok, please don't go! I know you don't know me, and I frankly don't know what's going on either, but could you please just do this one favor for me? Please?"  
  
James thought about it. Damn Liza's manipulating skills. "Ok." He gave in, "But I want to pick my own clothes."  
  
"Thank you! Thank you!" Liza said, a big smile appearing on her face. "You're the best."  
  
"I know."  
  
"But remember, we need to go incognito. That mean we'll have to do something to your hair, and your glasses! You can't wear them..."  
  
  
  
It was around nine o'clock in the morning and Remus was lending Sirius some of his clothes so he could go to the ball also.  
  
"These are my best set of ball-room clothes Sirius!" Remus said threateningly.  
  
"Don't worry! They are in MY hands, they're perfectly safe."  
  
"Somehow I doubt that."  
  
  
  
"There's a long time till the ball, why give me this now?" Sirius said.  
  
"Because I need to teach you manners."  
  
"I have manners!" Exclaimed Sirius dejectedly.  
  
"Yeah sure, whatever you say."  
  
  
  
"Tree sap?!? You are NOT putting tree sap in my hair!" James exclaimed, moving away from the decsending hand that was Liza's.  
  
"James, just for one night! You promised!"  
  
"What's wrong with my hair?!?"  
  
"Someone will recognize you!"  
  
"FINE!" He exclaimed as Liza started to spread the tree sap all in his hair, making a face while doing so. "That's so gross." He whined.  
  
"Gross... but it works."  
  
It was now three hours to the ball and Liza and James had told the gypsies 'Thanks' and given them their part of the deal, now they were back in their barn... spreading tree sap in James's hair as he whined.  
  
"See!" She exclaimed as she finished, "Who would recognize you?"  
  
"I can't see! Where's my glasses?"  
  
"You can't wear them, remember? You. Can't. Be. Recognized."  
  
"So you keep telling me."  
  
"Come on, let's go see if Sirius's dad has something for you to wear on your eyes." Liza prompted.  
  
"Like contacts?" James pondered out loud.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Never mind."  
  
  
  
"Sirius! You don't know how to dance?!?"  
  
"Well... erm... no. Is that a problem?"  
  
"Oh my god."  
  
"Sirius, You home?" Liza shouted from somewhere outside.  
  
Remus got the door. "Thank god your hear, Sirius doesn't know how to dance!"  
  
Liza smiled and walked over to him.  
  
"Hey James!" Remus exclaimed to James.  
  
"Sup Remus?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Never mind." James muttered. 'No more slang.' He scolded himself.  
  
"I didn't know you couldn't dance." Liza said while she started to teach Sirius how to dance.  
  
'That's weird, Sirius is always the life of the party at home.' James thought.  
  
"Oh, James needs to see your dad for his glasses." Liza said, remembering.  
  
"He's in the back," He jerked his head to the door behind him.  
  
"Come on." Remus muttered, ushering James away.  
  
*Knock. Knock.* Mr. Black, blacksmith and inventor, opened the door. "Boys! Welcome, come in." He exclaimed. "What can I help you with?"  
  
  
  
"Er... Hi sir, I need some... invisible eye wear." James said skeptically.  
  
To his and Remus's surprise, Mr. Black smiled a bright, sudden, and sort of scary smile. "Just what I've been looking for!" He exclaimed. "You could try these out for me, all I need is a general range of your prescription."  
  
"Er... Bad?" James sais uneasily. Then added, "Look sir, I don't want to be scared for life on behalf of being your quinie pig, so if there's a possibility that these thing are hazardous...-"  
  
"Don't fret dear boy! They are perfectly safe, here try them on." He handed him what looked like to be normally perfect contact lenses, but James knew that that sort of technology did not exist yet.  
  
He put them in and surprisingly, it worked!  
  
"There, now your all set."  
  
  
  
Soon, it was time to go and James found himself being stuffed into a carraige along with Liza and the gypsie was driving coincidently.  
  
Liza was smiling. They were both dressed in expensive clothing. James was looked like a prince out of one of those fair tale stories. Not really Aladin though. In fact, he didn't look like he was from India. Maybe no one would notice? Oh well, there was a back-up. Thankfully, from some inside sources, not telling you who, the Irish parliament wasn't sending any representatives, and the English government didn't know about it.  
  
"We're almost there." Liza hopped up and down in her seat. Unlike James, she had decided to go for the India-like look. Her outfit consisted of lots of vails and a belly-less dress. She had her long black hair up with some curled ones hanging down on her shoulders. Not to mention the heavy reddish-black lipstick she had to wear and some shiny face-makeup and eye shadow. There was a vail in her hair too so it framed her face perfectly. Also, the jewel in the middle of her eyes thing going on.  
  
They were changed people. Not to be noticed by ANYTHING or ANYONE.  
  
James too looked out the window now. The castle was HUGE. But Hogwarts was bigger. James noted this. It was elegant, like something out of a dream or a story book.  
  
The carraige stopped and the gypsie opened the door and winked at them before mock-bowing and riding away.  
  
Liza grabbed onto James's outstretch arm and smiled a large happy smile that made James smile too. "Let's get this over with." James muttered, but really he was just as excited as Liza.  
  
They were let in at the door by a security guard. They entered and James was only half impressed. Hogwarts was much better. They were met by talking people, all with nice long and lovely dresses on.  
  
They immediately spotted Remus and Sirius. They walked over to them and Remus almost died when he saw Liza.  
  
  
  
"Sirius! That's enough food, you'll give us away!" Remus hissed at him as he nodded to passing courteurs.  
  
"Hungry." Sirius whined quietly.  
  
"Ssh." Remus said. "We have to fing Liza and James, they should be here by know." Remus said, looking around.  
  
Sirius, how had stopped eating, was looking over Remus's shoulder with his mouth wide open. He pointed.  
  
Remus turned around and his mouth opened in surprise also. "Is that... Liza?" he asked to no one imparticular.  
  
They two made their way over to Remus and Sirius.  
  
"Hey." Liza said smiling. "What?" She saw them staring.  
  
James rolled his eyes and started to look for Lily and Snape, who would probably be trailing her.  
  
"You... You look..."  
  
"Gorgeous."  
  
"Awesome."  
  
"Different."  
  
"Weird." James put in. Liza smacked him and he mouthed 'Ow' before walking off.  
  
"So who would like to dance with me first?" Liza asked.  
  
"I will." Remus said before Sirius could open his mouth. Liza smiled and took his hand while Sirius quickly got over it and started to look for a dance partner.  
  
  
  
Meanwhile, Lily was trying to get away from Snape who was trying to dance. He was a horrible dancer. Luckily, someone came to her rescue, a tall dark and extremely handsome someone.  
  
"Excuse me? Can I cut in?" A voice inquired from behind Snape. Snape sneered, but to be polite, he let the intruder cut in. He glared as he walked away.  
  
"Er... hi..." Lily said, a tad uncomfortable in this stranger's arms. "Thanks." She said uncertainly.  
  
"No problem." he smiled "it looks like you wanted to get away from him anyway."  
  
"You, my friend, must be very observative." She smiled appreciatively. "But I must say, this is a step up, he couldn't dance at all."  
  
James smirked on behalf of himself. "You shouldn't say that about your future husband."  
  
Lily looked up at him startled and kind of angry, "How did you know about that?"  
  
"I have my ways." He whispered mysteriously into her ear. That shut her up. They just danced throughout the song. When it ended however, Lily was so caught up in the mystery of this person, she had forgotten to get a name! But as soon as the song stopped, he was already retreating to the heavenly place he came from.  
  
She would have gone looking for her now, if it wasn't for her father who stood up and beckoned her and Snape up to him. She groaned, this night wasn't going very good.  
  
So there she stood, with Snape and her father inbetween them. You could see by the disgusted look on her face, she was not happy to be there.  
  
Everyone decided to look past that and clapped appreciatively as the king called for silence.  
  
"I want to thank everyone who came here tonight." he began. "Tonight, I have the pleasure to announce that my daughter," He put his arm around Lily, "Has been asked by the prince of Spain," He motioned to Snape, who was smirking, "to marry him and for England to be joined with Spain... and it's trade industry." The people started to clap politely.  
  
James could see Lily's face. It was stuck in a frown. He felt a little pang of guilt and jealousy. 


	7. Chapter 6

Lily stepped down from the stage thing. She was immediately swarmed around by maidens of the house and courtiers all praising her and congratulating her.  
  
She decided she needed to get out and get some fresh air. She stepped out onto the balcony and the wind sweeped through her hair and she looked skyward to see the stars sparkling and winking down at her.  
  
Someone interrupted her thought process by politely clearing their throat behind her to announce his presence. She turned expecting to see Snape or a courtier.  
  
But it wasn't any of them. It was the guy she danced with earlier.  
  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked motioning to the sky.  
  
"Yes." She looked at him more closely. "Sorry, but I didn't get your name earlier."  
  
He smiled. "That would be my fault, I walked away so quickly, I'm James." While he said that, he dashingly took her hand and kissed it.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I don't really recognize you, are you from around here?" Lily asked curiously.  
  
"I'm... visiting a cousin." James responded as he tried to thing of a better excuse besides being from India...  
  
"Oh?" She asked interestedly.  
  
"So, congratulations on your... erm... engagement." He changed the subject.  
  
She frowned. Not what her first subject to talk about at the moment.  
  
"Not your first choice of husband then?" He asked quietly. "I couldn't help but notice your discomfort while that speech was given." He said quietly, leaning over to her.  
  
"You must be very observant then, not many people seemed to notice." Lily sighed and turned to look at the fields and valleys bellow.  
  
James followed in suit. Lily didn't know why, but she felt like she could talk to him about stuff. She felt comfortable around him and she had barely known him for two minutes, she was about to just spill her heart out to him, if it wasn't for the intruder.  
  
Remus walked out onto the balcony at that moment. "Hi James. Princess."  
  
"Remus, I thought I told you a billion times before to call me Lily." Lily said turning to look at him exasperatedly.  
  
"Alright then Lily." He smiled at her. She smiled back.  
  
"So how do you two know each other?" She asked.  
  
"He's my cousin." James said before Remus could say anything.  
  
"Oh. Well... I don't see the resemblance." Lily said good-naturedly.  
  
"We... er... get our looks from our fathers." Remus covered.  
  
"Oh..." Lily smiled at them. "Well... sorry to cut this little conversation so short, but I have to go find my ...fiancé." She said 'fiancé' with a hint of disgust. She left them both on the balcony.  
  
"What were you talking about?" Remus asked.  
  
"The sky, and how she doesn't want to marry Snape." James replied. "Why?"  
  
"No reason, I just never saw you this... persistent before."  
  
"What do you mean?" James asked, looking up at Remus.  
  
"Well... you know what the king does to anyone who tries to go near his daughters don't you?" Remus asked.  
  
"No." James said slowly.  
  
"Listen, I just don't want to see you get hurt. One way, or the other." Remus shuddered. "You better watch your back if you want to be in any kind of relationship with Lily."  
  
"Who said I wanted to be?" James asked.  
  
"I can see the way you look at her, the way you've always looked at her, I'm not blind, you know." He left James on the balcony.  
  
"I look at her funny?" He mused to himself.  
  
  
  
'This must be a very bad dream.' James thought as he woke up in the barn he had found himself in the first day he woke up... here. He woke up with the same thought every morning.  
  
First of all, his back hurt like hell. He was dirty. He knew he smelt horrible. And he always had this feeling he was going to get the plague.  
  
With all these bad things, there was one good thing. That good thing was the horses. He loved riding horses. He owned a horse. But he could only ride him on the summer holidays.  
  
He could ride 'his' horse whenever he wanted here. That would be one thing he would miss when he got home... if he got home.  
  
Liza seemed to have forgotten he didn't know anything about this... place... dream. He was getting kind of frightened though, here, by the age of sixteen-to-seventeen, he would have to move out soon and live on his own. Or get married. Either way, he'd have to eventually move out.  
  
He sighed as he got out of the hay-bed that he was forced to sleep in.  
  
He had been here for a week. That was enough to do a bit of exploring on his part too. On the horse he found the name of on the third day, supposedly his horse, Faragen, he had found some of his way around the forest.  
  
  
  
Unfortunately for him, Princess Lily wanted to go on a little horse ride today too.  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: thanks to the few people who reviewed. I know this story is losing it's potential, but I'm running out of ideas. I promise, it'll get better... I hope. 


	8. Chapter 7

James wet his hair in a creek. The water felt good against his hot skin. His horse, Faragen, was standing near the edge of the water getting a refreshing drink.  
  
He gotten up around dawn, now it was almost noon and he was getting hungry. He had decided to skip breakfast this morning to avoid Liza. She wouldn't stop drilling him on what to do at annual tournaments, cause they were going to watch Sirius in the tournament tomorrow around noon.  
  
Faragen started to paw the ground with his hoof and James looked up from the creek, his shirt almost completely wet and his hair was sopping and framing his wet face. He knew his peasant clothes were dirty too.  
  
He looked up to see a white horse with Princess Lily herself up top.  
  
She smiled the most brightest smile when she saw it was him.  
  
James panicked. "Um... Hi." He said sheepishly. He was painfully aware that he was in peasant clothing when she knew him as a respected relative of a prominent courtier.  
  
"James!" She exclaimed happily when she jumped down. "What a pleasant surprise! Do you ride often?"  
  
"Um... all the time. Nice seeing you too Princess..." James said.  
  
She gave him a look. "I... I mean Lily." Said James in a hurry.  
  
"Are you attending the tournament tomorrow?"  
  
"Planning to, yes."  
  
Her face glowed. "I was afraid you left home after the ball... where are you from anyway?"  
  
Think fast. "Venice." That was the first thing that popped into his head. 'Stupid.' He thought. 'Stupid stupid stupid.'  
  
"Really? I've never really been there, what's it like?" Lily asked.  
  
'I don't know, never really been there.' "It's nice." He lied.  
  
"What other places have you been?" She asked.  
  
This conversation wasn't really getting anywhere for James. Luckily, there was a distraction behind them both. Some of the brushes moved. They both froze.  
  
James crept to the brush and separated the branches cautiously.  
  
A small, sheepish smile was upon Liza's face as she arose from the bush.  
  
James was glaring at her. She came to stand in front of the bush next to James and that's when Lily noticed the resemblance.  
  
Liza and James where whispering some harsh words to each other. They turned to Lily and found her glaring at James.  
  
"Lily, I can explain..." He began.  
  
"You lied to me." She stated, going red in the face from anger. "I thought you where different..."  
  
She started to make her way back to her horse. James ran after her and grabbed her arm, "Lily, wait..."  
  
"Let go of me, you peasant." She snapped at him.  
  
He dropped his hand immediately. "Your no better then your sister, then. Maybe I was wrong." He walked over to his sister. "Come on Liza, let's go home." He grabbed Faragen's reins and pulled him away hotly.  
  
Lily's emotions unreadable as they walked away quickly leaving her there to think about what she had just called him.  
James felt terribly guilty about leaving Lily like that, but being called a peasant was sort of a sensitive spot now. They were slowly making their way out of the forest.  
  
"James... I..." Liza started.  
  
"Don't."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't-"  
  
"No you didn't."  
  
"Why won't you listen?" Liza asked, getting a whiny tone in ger voice.  
  
"Because, I woke up in an odd place, with odd people, with odd traditions, and with a very odd hierarchy system that's really starting to tick me off." James said. "I don't know any of this. And I'm starting to think I don't really know you."  
  
He started to walk ahead. "James wait." She walked faster up to him.  
  
"Get away from me."  
  
"Listen to me." She grabbed him and pulled him to a stop. "Tell me about your world." She spoke softly, and with sincerety.  
  
"I already told you about it."  
  
"No, you left something out. I can always tell when your leaving something out." Liza said.  
  
"You don't know me." He muttered and started to step away, but she kept a hold on him.  
  
"No, no I don't, but I know MY James and you two can't be that different, right?" Liza reasoned.  
  
James caved. "Alright, but you have to promise not to burn me at the stake."  
  
At her puzzled look he began to explain magic. "Remember the school I told you about?" She nodded. "Well... It's really a school for magic..."  
  
"Your starting to sound like that crackpot sorcerer from the castle..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The sorcerer at the castle. You know? The one who advices the king." She shuddered. "He's whack, I swear he's evil. He's always spying on the groundlings in social affairs at the castle."  
  
"What's his name?" James asked hoping he'd recognize it from History of Magic... not like he listened to Binn's monotone voice all through the class.  
  
"Don' know, its never really been uttered in public, people just decide to not think about him that much..."  
  
"Oh..."  
Snape growled, mostly to himself, as he walked away from the Potters. He had just overheard the entire conversation, starting with when Lily saw James. He had followed Lily from the castle that morning.  
  
'So,' he thought to himself, 'Potter is delusional. And he was trying to steal his future wife.'  
  
Of course, he knew James by asking around. He asked all the right people. Ever since the ball, where he had first seen them together, he had been following the unfaithful wench around. (That's his words, not mine, nor anyone elses in the story.)  
  
'At least Potters out of the picture.' He smirked to himself. 'The sooner we get married, the better.'  
"Left... right... no, your doing it wrong."  
  
"It's fencing, all you do is jump around!"  
  
"Your hopeless."  
  
"No, Remus, your hopeless. I bet your arm doesn't even hurt!" Sirius exclaimed.  
  
"My arm does hurt and if you don't shape-up, your gonna go out in the first round!" Remus said.  
  
"That'd be better then listening to this for the rest of the tournament." Sirius threw done his sword down in exsasperation.  
  
"You're the one who wanted to do this in the first place!"  
  
"Now I'm the one who doesn't want to do it." Sirius said leaving.  
  
"That's just like you, you know, never finish anything you start. Always backing out." Remus taunted.  
  
Sirius turned around and advanced on him. "Well at least I'm not a pompous, ridiculing, critical, and selfish knight that wants nothing more then to sit back and let other people do what they're supposed to!"  
  
"I am not pompous or selfish! YOU'RE the one who wanted to do this in the first place!" Remus sighed. "I'm only gonna say this once, Sirius, I need your help. Will you please do this fight for me?"  
  
"Fine, but I'll have you now that you owe me big time."  
  
"Whatever..."Remus sighed as Sirius picked up his sword again.  
  
"You know, that argument seemed completely pointless."  
  
"Maybe it'll bring some kind of understanding in the future (this was completely pointless and I think it was just to show their progress as of now... and maybe I'll bring it into some signifigance later...)..." 


	9. Chapter 8

"Ready?" Remus said in an annoying, motherly voice.  
  
"Ready! Jeez, stop asking me that! I know already!" Whined Sirius. They were standing outside the massive arena. People who were competing were pushing past the two of them with their horses and weapons for the tournament.  
  
"Aren't we meeting James around back?" Asked Sirius, looking around to find him.  
  
"Yeah... We should really start going to the warm-up rings." Remus said. "Come on."  
  
They headed to the warm-up ring with Remus's horse, Jade, and Sirius clad in his armor stuff he needed for the tournament.  
  
"What's first?" Asked Sirius as they walked past competitors from different parts of the continent.  
  
"The first rounds of sword fighting, I think." Remus said. "And if you loose the first round, then your disqualified and you can't go on to the jabbling competition."  
  
"Oh. Hey, do you now who my first opponent is?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Sirius, you don't know that untill you get called up." Remus said, annoyed. "You know that."  
  
"I just thought I'd ask."  
  
They walked into the rings and started to get ready. "I'll go find James." Remus said in a whisper to Sirius as he departed to find his friend.  
  
Remus walked around the back of the arena and started to look around for James. The problem was, he was nowhere to be found. Remus heard the trumpet guys inside, to signal that the tournament was about to begin.  
  
"Dammit." He muttered as he walked back into the arena.  
  
Sirius had just pulled on his sword-belt and his sword when Remus walked in.  
  
"Are you ready?" Remus said. Sirius just glared at him.  
  
"Where's James?"  
  
"Didn't see him." Remus shrugged.  
  
"Maybe he just got held up..."  
"Dammit." Muttered James as he jumped off Faragen and went around to the front of the crowd who were trying to get in.  
  
"Hey! No cutting!" Shouted a disgruntled bystander. James groaned. 'How am I gonna get in?' He thought.  
  
Then, as if he got a rather idiotic idea, he looked up at the banister above his head that lead up the arena wall.  
  
A little voice inside of his head was screaming, 'No, no, no, no, no!' But he wasn't listening.  
  
He reached up and grabbed the banister in one hand and hoisted himself on one of the wooden crates at his feet. 'This is it, you gotta get over the height-frightfullness thing.' He thought to himself. 'Your frickin Griffindor seeker, you can't be afraid of heights!' He thought to himself.  
  
"Here goes nothing." He said to himself.  
  
He gripped the banister tighter and pulled himself up and grabbed a hand- full of more banister with the other hand and pulled up. He put his feet on the stone arena wall to support himself and started to climb.  
  
'See?' He thought to himself. 'It's not that hard.'  
  
After about five minutes of climbing the huge stone wall, he was finally able to hoist himself over and jump down into the stands. 'How to get down...'  
  
While he was busy trying to make his way down to the bottom ground, Sirius was getting ready for his first fight of the tournament. He had just found out that he would be the first fight of the day.  
  
"Remember, be on your toes. Dance around. Don't get spewed..."  
  
"Do I need this?"  
  
"No, you don't where a helmet in this fight... and take off those knee shin- guards, you won't need them in this."  
  
"What about these?"  
  
"No, all you need is the chest-guard and the shoulder armor."  
  
"And the chain shirt? It's awfull hot in here."  
  
"Its better safe then sorry."  
  
"I'm already sorry for getting myself into this."  
  
"They're calling you out..."  
  
"Wish me luck."  
  
"Good luck."  
  
"I'll need it..."  
  
And with that, the huge arena doors opened up and the pre-arena-set-up-area was flooded with light. Hand on sword and head held high, Sirius walked into the arena.  
James got down into the ground area without being caught or thrown out, so that was a good sign. Just then, Sirius stepped out into the arena and the crowd was yelling themselves horse. Then his opponent stepped out and the crowd was still going crazy.  
  
James couldn't help but think that this was the weirdest thing he would ever do in his entire life, watch his best friend in a midevil tournament, battling it out via sword fight and wearing metal armor. Not to mention the fact that he was sitting in a arena larger than the quidditch pitch that was made of entirely stone and had large stands that were filled with people who were screaming their heads off at people they probably didn't even know.  
  
The fight in the ring had just begun. The competitors were battling it out together. Sirius was winning and not getting killed, so that was good.  
  
While the fight was going on, James couldn't help but notice that Sirius's opponent was rather slow. And Sirius really wasn't putting all his effort into the fight, so it was taking a long time to finish. James wondered if Sirius was just showing off or something.  
  
The fight finally ended and Sirius was the victor. The crowd was going crazy when he left the ring. James cased after him and slipped past some of the security knights and into the pre-arena.  
  
In the pre-arena, Remus was patting Sirius on the back and congratulating him on his victory.  
  
"Hey." He breathed, breathless from the skiving past the guards thing.  
  
"James! Where were you? Did you see me fight?" Sirius asked excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, great job Sirius." James said dully.  
  
"What? What was wrong with it?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing was wrong.. You fought good." James responded.  
  
"Good?! Just good?" Sirius said, looking kind of mad. "I worked my ass off out there!"  
  
"Calm down Sirius, its just I think you could've tried a little harder, that's all." James said.  
  
"What?!? I did try my hardest! How about you try going out there and fighting in all this armor!" Sirius almost yelled.  
  
"Calm down Sirius!" Remus said loudly.  
  
"He has no right to come in here and tell me I don't try hard enough!" Sirius said.  
  
"I was just giving you my opinion is all!" James said, if he'd known Sirius was going to react like this, he wouldn't have said anything at all.  
  
"Well, keep your trap shut when you give your opinion next time!" Sirius yelled. He didn't yell that loud, but it was enough to see that he was really mad right now.  
  
James was mad too, and you could see it written all over his face. "Fine!" He said, then stormed out of the pre-arena and into the bustling crowd.  
  
"Nice going, Sirius." Remus sighed.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Sirius muttered as he started to take off the heavy armor.  
James got back to the place were he had ditched his horse. Well... he didn't ditch his horse, he just left it there really...  
  
"Where do you think your going?" Said an unpleasant voice from behind him. He recognized that voice at once. Its owner: Severus Snape.  
"How is he?" Asked the headmaster of Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore.  
  
"Not good, he has a serious concussion and has slipped into a coma." Madam Pomfrey sighed.  
  
"If there is any change in his current state, I would like to be told please Poppy."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Lily Evans, who had been eaves-dropping, unnoticed, took this newly learned information and ran back up to Griffindor tower to tell everyone.  
  
"Sydney Kangaroos." She said the password to the fat lady in the portrait. The Sydney Kangaroos were James' favorite quidditch team, that's why he picked that to be the password, since he and Lily were prefects this year.  
  
She ran in and the common room got really quiet and waited to hear news on how their seeker was doing.  
  
"He slipped into a coma," she said. And there was a lot of gasps in the crowd of Griffindors.  
  
Liza came up to her, "What else did you find out?" she asked as she choked back tears.  
  
"He got a serious concussion when he banged his head on a rock when he hit the ground." Lily said too choked back tears.  
  
"Serious?" Liza squeaked.  
  
"Serious."  
  
Liza fainted. Unfortunately, she fell back and banged her head on a coffee table.  
Liza woke up and she immediately wished she would've stayed asleep because she sat up really quickly and the movement made her head hurt really bad.  
  
She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't in her dorm. In fact, she wasn't even in the hospital ward. Hell, she wasn't even at Hogwarts.... She was in the middle of an incredibly dusty barn.  
  
'Where the...?'  
  
But her thought was interrupted by a small, 'Help.' In the back her head.  
  
"James." Liza said. Then she got on her feet, found her wand on the ground, gripped it tight and climbed onto the nearest horse to her.  
  
Her only thought was to find James and bring him home... well, back to consciousness anyway.  
  
**Liza has just been sent on a mission by me, hehehe. I figure James needs a buddy!!**  
  
*Any who disagree with this decision can review and tell me and I'll make it a quick rescue mission* 


End file.
